Dr Andrew Hollins

I work within the Research Development team of Research and Innovation Services, primarily supporting activities around the College of Biomedical and Life Sciences.

I am a former researcher who specialised in the generation and utility of 3-dimensional (3-D) organoid culture platforms for the study of tumour biology. Specifically, I worked on the development of 3-D model systems aimed at faithfully reflecting populations of cancer patients, both in terms of genetic heterogeneity and cellular composition. These models are intended to facilitate the drug testing / selection / identification of cancer treatments and to replace 2-D cell lines in the longer term.

My interests were in 3-D primary cell culture systems, and the generation of patient disease relevant culture platforms. This interest was developed during prior experience working with 2-D primary cell isolation systems over a range of tissues; with directed stem cell differentiation in 3-D; and with pharmaceutical drug delivery system biology.

My PhD was on “The role of caveolin in alveolar cell differentiation and embryogenesis” from the Welsh School of Pharmacy (Cardiff University) under the supervision of Prof. Mark Gumbleton. A large part of my doctoral thesis work was developing a primary human lung epithelial culture model for drug trafficking assays, during my time with the group I began my research career (2001). In 2002 I joined the Centre for Genome-based Therapeutics for four years working upon the design and delivery of antisense nucleic acid therapeutics, particularly against targets relevant to cancer and diabetes most notably generating and testing novel anti-EGFR complexes.

In 2006 I stepped across to the field of Neuroscience working first in the School of Optometry and Vision Sciences (Cardiff University; Prof. Marcela Vortuba, 2006-2008), and subsequently two positions within the School of Biosciences in the Neuroscience division on projects exploring the potential for the generation of neural cells from the directed differentiation of neurospheres suitable for replacement therapy in neurodegenerative disease (working with a team led by Prof. Nick Allen, Prof. Anne Rosser and Prof. Stephen Dunnett, 2008-2012). The latter provided an understanding of stem cell biology and culture.

Most recently, I joined the Cancer Research UK Centre Cardiff having initially worked on a related project titled "Developing stem-cell containing organoids for pre-clinical studies of colorectal cancer therapeutics” funded by the Cardiff Experimental Cancer Medicines Centre (ECMC) for the previous two years. These are a set of projects where I have been able to fuse much of my prior knowledge to refine a colorectal organoid platform, and begin generating a lung organoid program.

Honours and awards

Academic positions

2018 – present: Research Associate School of Biosciences, Cardiff University. Working within an Innovate UK funded Biomedical Catalyst project titled "Patient-derived breast cancer organoids to transform drug discovery screening assays". A project based exploring the development of methodologies for the long term and scaled culture of breast cancer organoids.

2014 – 2018: Research Associate with the Cancer Research UK Cardiff Centre, based within the School of Biosciences, Cardiff University. Project based around the development of methodologies and platforms designed to permit stratified approaches to improve drug selection/identification in cancer treatment.